What are some **cultural** differences between the States & Europe (specifically, Germany)?

Question

preferably some detailed stories, without obvious comments about how they take 3 hours for dinner.

Answer 1

Hi there,

maybe I also add a little info on the US differences, as everybody has been looking onto Germany from a US perspective.
I'm German, live in Switzerland and have prior lived in the US and the Netherlands.
So I have seen some cultures to adapt to.

I would say that there are also many interpersonal differences. I loved to be able to meet and get to know many people very quickly, were in Germany it sometimes takes much longer until people feel more friendly with you and invite you to join them for lunch.
Americans are used to move to other places within the states and find new people, therefore they are more open. The older German culture kept people closer to their birthplaces and family. I have friends who still live in the same area or even town they grew up in and feel scared to even move to another state in Germany.

Going out with friends. Sure dinners take longer, because we actually stay in the restaurant to actually talk and even have some drinks. You cannot imagine how much money a restaurant can make, if they actually charge you for every drink, as we do not have free refills.

Friendlyness to otheres:
It still puzzles me, why I have to wait for a guy to run around the car to open the door for me, even though I can open it on my own. On the other side did I miss in the US that no guy actually did help my in my coat, when leaving a restaurant.

Germans eat with a knive and fork at the same time. Americans look to me very inefficient switching eating tools all the time.

Shopping, yep, this is pretty different here. In a grocery store all your stuff is rung up very quickly and you sometimes even feel rushed to leave the checkout counter, because they are already working on the next customer. Well, I would ask, if we are really customers.....
On the other side, do I rather go shopping in our smaller retail stores, were you feel more like a customer then in any Macys or JC Penny store. People will come up to you to ask you if they can assist you and they actually will be extremely knowledgable of their product. I sometimes had problems finding such a service in the states.

There are quite some differences, but also many simmilarities and isn't it this what makes living with different cultures interesting?
Ina

Answer 2

Scouser's answer was very good. I'd just like to add that from what I've read, the Mexican-American population in Texas is also largely older and more well-established than that of California, where more recent immigration has been more frequent. However, Texas has also received an influx of more recent immigrants. But despite this, the Mexican-American community in Texas is in fact largely older and even goes back to the years preceding Mexican independence from Spain. As for areas of New Mexico (i.e. Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northern New Mexico), many locals trace their ancestry directly to Spain and often have little, if any, Native American ancestry. As such, their cultural identity is really more Spanish than Mexican and they've preserved some very archaic customs and traditions from old Spain, including an old Castilian Spanish dialect, foods, and religious traditions. These people are also known as "Hispanos," and while some may legitimately be mestizos (Spanish/Native American mix), their core identity and origins are Spanish, which makes them different from the Mexican-identified population.

Answer 3

Kermit's answer is very good. I would like to comment more on the shopping part in regards to smaller stores. Many specialty shops still close at lunch time, or a bit later in the afternoon for a pause. They will give you the customer a hard time if you do not know exactly what you are looking for. I was in small but exspensive men's clothing store in Köln with 2 shirts and a tie IN HAND when the clerk came up to me to say they are closing, I said OK I will buy the shirts and tie. The clerk took the items out of my hand and said they already shut the cash register down, but I could come back the next day to buy the items as she would put them aside for me. I could give you dozens of examples of 'Customer Service' like this. I generally go to the large department stores that thanks to everything being made in China these days look a lot like Macy's.
Another cultural thing maybe is that in Germany you give your own birthday party and your guests bring you gifts. In my office it is customary that on your birthday you bring in a cake or sweets. If it is a birthday ending in Zero then it is a bigger production. AND, God Forbid if you wish a German Happy Birthday Before the actual day - it is considered bad luck! So, if your birthday is on Tuesday, no party the weekend before.

Answer 4

1985 I spent a semester of college in Reutlingen (south of Stuttgart). And from 2000-2004 I worked for Siemens and ended up on frequent business meetings in Nurnberg, Munich, Karlsruhe, and Regensburg. I really enjoy Germany.

Culturally there is a lot that is different. In business meetings, it's very common for German executives to pound the table rather than clap. Germans don't mind wearing brown shoes with gray suits. During the mid-day pause, German children flood the downtown in search of lunch before heading back to school. Imagine American grammar students doing the same...can't can you??

Some (not all) German shopkeepers prefer you enter their shops only if you intend to buy. Just looking doesn't please some of them. Older Germans are very friendly to Americans. Younger (intellectual) Germans like to challenge Americans on American policies, etc. Germans are blunt in business settings. They don't worry about offending you. They love to show you how well they speak English.

There are many more to be sure, There's a great old book called, "These Strange German Ways", that details some of the quirks to the German society.

But overall, if there is any country that an American can enjoy being it, it would have to be Germany.

Answer 5

Sorry, my english is not so good, I hope you can understand, what I write.

We do not take three hours for dinner, but we do not get up, after swallowing the last piece of the meal. Afterwards we just sit, drink Coffee or Schnaps and let the evening end slowy. We stay in cafes, bars and restaurants a couple of ours-without eating and drinking the whole time-just for fun.

German women and girls do not want to marry so fast as american women. It is not normal to buy a ring after six months.

You can walk the streets without wearing a bra and nobody is shocked.

We are not doing anything by car.

Of course it is forbidden, to consume marihuana but you will not get punished, if you get caught with a joint. In the worst case you have to pay money.

Prostitution is legal.

I have been to the USA for different times and it is so strange: People nearly look the same, buildings are similar, but the whole mentality was as different as Japan to me! But I always felt happy being in your country.

Answer 6

I've been to Germany a couple of times. There really isn't anything that stood out to me as different. I did hear some rumour about not wearing shorts there, but I saw tons of people wearing shorts there. Other than that, when counting, Germans start with their thumb as one.

Answer 7

Germans love...law, order and rules...do don't ever break any of those...U will get the death enalty...lol..also, they wash there cars more often as themselfs...(sorry)...some Germans men look like they just got outta bed...there don't seem to comb there hair...greasy haircuts...on the other hand, its the a joy to drive there, because the drivers are really goo, fast and obeying the traffic laws...

Answer 8

I lived in Germany for a year, specifically, in Munich. And I absolutely loved it! It is a beautiful place to be.

I found that the shopping experience varied depending on where you were shopping and what you were buying. If I went to the grocery store no one paid attention to how long I lingered. But, when you get to the cash desk be ready to go. There is no small talk there, they are quick, all business and you need to be just as quick gathering up your purchase and moving out of the way for the next person in line. Often people threw there groceries back in the cart just as fast as they were rung up and then moved them out of the way to bag them after they paid. They also do not bag your groceries. They do not give you bags either but they do have them for purchase. Many people come with their own bags or backpacks for groceries. (They tend to find our greetings at shop counters to be frivolous and insincere... the only time I found that there was a consistent greeting was while hiking in the mountains upon which everyone is greeted in passing with the same simple greeting) They do not have superstores there like we have either though they do have some really gorgeous grocery stores.

Stores were not open at all on Sundays and they closed early on Saturdays and during the week the hours were shorter than our hours here. I never could figure out how people with two working parents could ever get there shopping done.

Lights are always out in Germany as well. The apartment we lived in was set up so that hall lights only came on when you entered the front door of the building. They stayed on for a few minutes while you made your way to your apartment and then they went off again automatically. I found that people we visited with left lights off much later into the evening than we do here. It was getting pretty dark before the lights came on.

Among the people I knew while I lived there it was considered rude to call another persons house during meals times. It was also rude to call past about 8PM. That time was for meals and family only.

They used the escalators at the U-Bahn differently as well. One side is for standing and the other side is for walking up/down the escalators, and many people do walk up/down them.

They do have elevators in some buildings but be ready for them to be small. You couldn't use many of them for things like moving a couch. We could fit 4 people in many of them standing side by side.

Be ready for small bathrooms as well. The public bathrooms are very tight.

A great thing is how much people love the out of doors. On weekends people head for the parks and biergartens and countryside. There are not just a few people out there are a lot of people out enjoying the day. And while people do eat outside plenty in outdoor cafe's and biergartens I really did not see much by way of picnics. People are allowed to bring their own food to many of the biergartens to go along with their purchased beer so I think that more often than picnics.

If you go to get your hair cut you will find that they wash and cut your hair but they do not finish it for you. They send you over to a counter with combs, brushes, sprays, gels and hairdryers and you finish your hair yourself.

One thing that I didn't know is that you can have open bottles on the street and on public transportation.

Going to a movie is different as well. You make reservations for specific seats in the theatre. Also, they have a choice with popcorn, salty or sweet. (The sweet is very good!) You can also buy yourself some beer or wine from the movie theatre to bring in with you.

I know there are a lot of other things but those are the things that came to my head at the moment!

Answer 9

I have to agree with Clyde S. so true so true...other than that. Germans are very rule oriented. They walk and bicycle much more than Americans. No cutting the grass or washing your car yourself on Sundays and stores are rarely open on Sundays.

Answer 10

I agree with Clyde...there houses are spick-and-span...which leaves lots to be desired for the smelly body-odors...and rotten (bad) teeth!! in German....oben hui...und unten pfui!!!! lol